I’ve received a few emails about this and really felt like i needed to pass it on to others. Last friday, December 1, Eric Ng was killed by a drunk driver while riding on a bike path in NYC. You can read more about this over at visualresistance.

I didn’t know Eric, but his story saddens me and hits close to home. Those of us who are bike commuters and touring cyclists all have stories about injuries or near-fatal experiences involving wreckless or malicious drivers. We all have stories about ourselves or friends who were sent to the hospital or suffered permanent disabilities because of collisions with vehicles. And many of us who have lived as cycling commuters in large cities like NYC, DC, Chicago, LA and so forth can tell you about our defense strategies that we developed to keep cars at a safe distance (entire zines have been dedicated to the creative uses of bike locks). Now more and more of us can tell you stories about friends who have died while biking.

Let this be a reminder to all who drink: don’t drink and drive. As the commercial states, even buzzed driving is drunk driving. Although statistically you probably won’t be the one to die in the case of a collision, you may find yourself charged with murder. Death is too high a cost for weakened inhibitions.

My thoughts are with Eric and his loved ones. Here are some suggestions from Transportation Alternatives about what you can do to help out (i’d say those of us not in NYC should probably just write to the mayor and city council speaker):

People should call and write their City Councilmembers, the Mayor and the City Council Speaker to call on them to make the city safe for cycling.

You can look up your Councilmember at: http://www.nyccouncil.info/constituent/index.cfm

Mayor Michael Bloomberg
City Hall
New York, NY 10007
E-mail: http://www.nyc.gov/html/mail/html/mayor.html

City Council Speaker Christine Quinn
City Hall
New York, NY 10007
E-mail: http://www.nyccouncil.info/rightnow/contactspkr.cfm

Here are some sample talking points; it’s always good to mix in personal experience with these more general comments:

* People love car-free space, like the Hudson River Greenway, they flock to it, they expect it to be safe. It must be safe

* Car-free routes like the Hudson River Greenway encourage more people to bike more often. This is great for New Yorkers and great for New York City

* The Hudson River Greenway is supposed to be safe, protected, car-free space for New Yorkers to walk, jog, bike and skate

* The Hudson River Greenway is a car-free biking and walking path. It’s supposed to be one of the few refuges where New Yorkers can escape the chaos and danger of city streets

* All drivers crossing the greenway pose potential threats to people walking, biking and skating on the path

* The City and State must work to make the greenway safe and prevent future tragedies. Government must prevent motorists from driving on the greenway

* Government must work to reduce the number of cars that cross the greenway each day

* Government must make greenway intersections and driveways safer.
According to the , intersections are particularly dangerous–89% of bicyclist fatalities and 70% of bicyclist serious injury crashes in New York City occur at intersections